Wexner faces Congress, Nine Inch Nails hits the Schott, and Ohio cracks down on ticket scalping scams.

Good morning, Columbus. We're looking at a soggy Thursday — starting around 39° and climbing to 53° under steady rain with a 100% chance of precipitation. Umbrella weather, in other words.

📍 Ohio bill targets ticket resale scams

Ohio lawmakers are pushing legislation to crack down on deceptive ticket resale practices that have left consumers paying inflated prices for events. House Bill 94, introduced this week, would require ticket resale platforms to clearly disclose whether they're authorized sellers and prohibit them from misrepresenting their affiliation with venues or artists. The bill comes after years of complaints about secondary market sites that appear official but charge massive markups.

The proposed law would also ban "speculative ticket selling" — when resellers list tickets they don't actually possess yet, leaving buyers in limbo or scrambling for refunds when tickets don't materialize. Violations would carry civil penalties up to $10,000 per incident. Supporters say the legislation aims to protect Ohio consumers from predatory practices that have become increasingly common as concert and sporting event demand has surged post-pandemic.

Industry groups representing legitimate resale platforms have expressed support for transparency requirements, while consumer advocates argue the bill doesn't go far enough to address underlying issues like bot purchases that enable scalping in the first place. The legislation has bipartisan backing and is expected to move through committee hearings in the coming weeks.

Bottom line: Whether you're trying to catch a show at the Schott or see the Crew at Lower.com Field, Ohio lawmakers are finally taking aim at the secondary ticket market chaos that's been costing consumers for years.

📍 Ohio lottery profits fund school budgets but distribution is unequal

Ohio's lottery system generated more than $1.4 billion for education last fiscal year, but a new analysis shows those funds are distributed unevenly across the state's school districts — with some wealthier suburbs receiving higher per-pupil amounts than struggling urban districts. The lottery's mandate is to supplement education funding, but the formula for distribution has created disparities that education advocates say undermine the system's original purpose.

Districts in affluent areas with higher property values often receive more lottery funding per student than districts serving lower-income communities, largely because the distribution formula is tied to enrollment and doesn't account for economic need. Columbus City Schools, which serves a large population of economically disadvantaged students, receives less per pupil in lottery funds than some neighboring suburban districts with smaller percentages of students in poverty.

Critics argue the lottery has become a regressive revenue source — with lower-income Ohioans more likely to play — that ultimately props up a school funding system already challenged by inequity. State officials defend the distribution model, saying lottery funds were never intended to address funding gaps and that broader school finance reform is the appropriate venue for those debates. Education policy groups are calling for the legislature to revisit how lottery proceeds are allocated as part of ongoing school funding discussions.

Bottom line: The lottery was supposed to be a win for Ohio schools, but when the money flows more generously to districts that need it least, it's worth asking whether the house is the only real winner.

📍 Wexner says he's unaware Epstein sold $1.3 billion in L Brands stock

Les Wexner testified Wednesday that he only recently learned Jeffrey Epstein sold more than a billion dollars' worth of his L Brands stock — a claim that has House Democrats skeptical. During a six-hour congressional deposition at his New Albany mansion, the billionaire founder of Victoria's Secret repeatedly denied knowledge of Epstein's crimes and said he never considered the convicted sex offender a close friend.

Democrats on the House Oversight Committee aren't buying it. They pointed to evidence contradicting Wexner's testimony: Ghislaine Maxwell, Epstein's girlfriend and co-conspirator, testified under oath the two were best friends. Wexner told Vanity Fair in 2003 that Epstein was a "most loyal friend." And in a 2003 birthday book inscription to Epstein, Wexner signed it "your friend Leslie" alongside a personal drawing.

Wexner also testified he "never spoke with Epstein again. Never" after discovering the financial betrayal in September 2007 — the same time Epstein faced his initial Florida sex abuse charges. But an email from Wexner to Epstein dated June 26, 2008 — nearly nine months later — appears to reference "the result" of Epstein's guilty plea. The email wasn't released by the DOJ but came through a whistleblower who shared Epstein's inbox with Drop Site News. NBC4 Investigates reviewed the files and reported on their authenticity.

Another complication: DOJ-released documents show Wexner's wife Abigail was listed as a trustee of a 2007 Epstein insurance trust — established November 2007, two months after Wexner claims he cut ties. The documents aren't signed by Abigail Wexner and could have been filed without her knowledge. A spokesperson for Wexner said he "honestly answered every question" and "stands by that fervently." Wexner has never been charged in connection with Epstein's crimes.

Bottom line: When you're talking about a billion-dollar stock sale and a relationship that spanned two decades, "I didn't know" raises serious questions about what Wexner actually knew and when.

⚡ Quick Hits

• New homelessness program shows results. A Community Shelter Board-funded program placed more than 40 people experiencing homelessness into permanent supportive housing this winter. The initiative puts people in hotels for a few weeks while housing is secured — a model that could expand year-round if funding continues past March.

• Ohio lawmakers push tougher penalties for drivers who hit pedestrians. State legislators are backing stricter fines and penalties after a crossing guard was struck by a driver who received just a $48 ticket. The proposed legislation would increase consequences for drivers who fail to yield to pedestrians in crosswalks, particularly in school zones.

• Nelsonville building stabilization underway. Contractors are working to stabilize the historic Mine Tavern building in Nelsonville's Public Square after part of the wall gave way last weekend. The hope is to avoid demolition — the city's Division of Fire is on-site monitoring the work.

📍 Out & About

Nine Inch Nails: Peel It Back Tour | Thursday, 8:00 PM | Value City Arena at the Schottenstein Center — Trent Reznor brings NIN back to Columbus with Boys Noize opening. From $78.

Larry the Cable Guy | Thursday, 7:00 PM | Mershon Auditorium — An evening of stand-up with the Git-R-Done comedian himself. From $65.

Cabaret (Broadway in Columbus) | Thursday, 8:00 PM | Ohio Theatre — The Tony-winning musical opens its Columbus run and performs through March 1. Tickets vary — call Capa at 614-469-0939.

Kream with Entel | Thursday, 8:00 PM | Newport Music Hall — Norwegian DJ duo Kream bring their dance-pop sound to the Newport. All ages. From $35.

📜 On This Day

In 1937, jazz legend Nancy Wilson was born in Chillicothe and grew up attending West High School in Columbus, where she won a talent contest as a teenager. Three Grammys later, not a bad start. Also today in 1962: John Glenn became the first American to orbit Earth aboard Friendship 7. Ohio's astronaut factory strikes again.

Another rainy Thursday, another reminder to slow down in school zones — especially with all that crossing guard legislation in the works. See you tomorrow.

Before coffee. Before the chaos.